nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, october 24, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

A monster showing by "Sunday Night Football" (22.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.6, #1) put NBC (20.43 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.7, #1) light years ahead of the competition last night. Leading off the night were "Football Night in America #1" (8.61 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.9, #9), "Football Night in America #2" (11.93 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.5, #4) and "Football Night in America #3" (18.43 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 6.6, #2).

A distant second place then went to CBS (12.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) with its mix of "NFL Overrun" (18.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.3, #3) followed by (half-hour results only) "60 Minutes" (14.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T6), "The Amazing Race 17" (11.37 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T6), "Undercover Boss" (11.55 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T6) and "CSI: Miami" (9.66 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T11).

Next up was ABC (9.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.65 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #14), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (9.10 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T11), "Desperate Housewives" (12.15 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.9, #5) and "Brothers & Sisters" (8.40 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.6, #10).

And finally, absent Game 7 of the NLCS, FOX (3.97 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) opted for repeats of "The Simpsons" (3.91 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T16), "American Dad" (3.89 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.7, #15), "Family Guy" (4.52 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.1, #13) and another "American Dad" (3.57 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T16).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Sunday Night Football (32.30%), 60 Minutes (17.90%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (4.30%), Desperate Housewives (2.60%), America's Funniest Home Videos (0.00%), Undercover Boss (-2.90%), The Amazing Race 17 (-2.90%), Brothers & Sisters (-3.70%), CSI: Miami (-11.10%).

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/25/09):

FOX (15.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.5, #1) posted a monster night on Sunday thanks to its mix of "NFL Overrun" (22.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.3, #1), "The OT" (19.79 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 7.3, #2) and the "ALCS, Game 6" (14.01 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.8, #4).

NBC (11.85 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.6, #2) however claimed a competitive second place with its lineup of "Football Night in America #1" (4.88 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T14), "Football Night in America #2" (6.20 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T10), "Football Night in America #3" (10.45 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.8, #6) and "Sunday Night Football" (10.82 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 5.2, #3).

Next up was ABC (10.69 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (8.39 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T10), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (10.60 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.9, #9), "Desperate Housewives" (13.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.6, #5) and "Brothers & Sisters" (9.96 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.3, #7).

And finally, CBS (9.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) was out of the hunt despite fresh installments of "60 Minutes" (12.23 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #12), "The Amazing Race 15" (10.98 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #8), "Three Rivers" (7.90 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #13) and "Cold Case" (8.81 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T14).

Source: Nielsen Media Research